Tag: Los Angeles Angels

New Mexico

The Land of Enchantment has only produced 30 major league baseball players, only five of whom have appeared in an All-Star game, and only one of whom is in the Hall of Fame. So sparse are the players from New Mexico, that the best hitter and best pitcher may eventually be from the current generation. The argument could be made that the best pitcher from New Mexico already is Ken Giles. Now that he seems to have found his mojo again in Toronto, he will only need another season or so to have more saves and strikeouts than any other pitcher from the state. And, the career 2.71 ERA isn’t too bad either.

One day, we may also be talking about the best hitter from New Mexico being Alex Bregman. With a couple All-Star games already under his belt, and looking like a consistent 30 HR, 100 RBI kind of player, the third baseman from Albuquerque is well on his way to an excellent career. But, there’s one name already established in Cooperstown as an all-time great…

Ralph Kiner – the 6-time All-Star was one of the most feared hitters of his generation. He was the first player in baseball history to lead the league in HR for seven consecutive years (’46-’52 – averaging 42 HR per season). It’s too bad he played on so many losing teams (only 2 winning records his whole career), because he definitely deserved more serious consideration for the MVP on multiple occasions. His career was also cut short because of back problems, which is why Bregman may very well surpass him in the years to come.

New York

What’s interesting to me about the players originally from New York is that, while there are some historically great players to come from The Empire State … recent generations are a bit lackluster. Among current players, there are some that may have decent careers (Patrick Corbin, Nick Markakis, etc.), but none appear destined for greatness. And, when you start scrolling back through time, it takes a while before you see really great players …

Alex Rodriguez was certainly spectacular, though it’s tough to know exactly how much his numbers are boosted by PED’s. Going further back, you’ll find Craig Biggio, who retired 12 years ago (and doesn’t really belong in the HOF); Edgar Martinez, who retired 15 years ago (ditto on the HOF); and then you’ve got to really start going back to names like Bobby Bonilla, Orel Hershiser, and Lou Whitaker to even find guys that were consistent All-Star caliber players. Obviously, the heyday for New York baseball players has passed.

Lou Gehrig – where do we begin? Triple Crown in ’34; two MVP’s and two runner-ups; 6-time World Series champion. How about this – his illness-shortened career amounted to essentially 14 seasons (only 31 games outside those years). His average full season looked like this: .340/.448/.634/1.082, 35 HR, 142 RBI, 193 hits, 38 2B, 12 3B, and … 56 K’s.

There are over 400 players that have come from North Carolina (12th all-time), and 6 of them are in the Hall of Fame. But, when you read through the list of players historically that have come from NC, it doesn’t exactly impress you. For instance: Corey Seager’s five years in the league already put him in the top 9% of all players from the state, based on career WAR.

Runner-up goes to Hall-of-Famer Luke Appling. In 20 seasons with the White Sox, he had over 2,700 hits, won two batting titles, and was a 7-time All-Star. He had more extra-base hits (587) in his career than strikeouts (528). But, the obvious choice for the greatest is…

Gaylord Perry – the Williamston native won over 300 games in his 22 years. He also won 2 Cy Youngs (the first ever to win in both leagues), struck out more than 3,500 batters, and was on 5 All-Star teams. He played for 8 different teams, but never seemed to play for many good ones. His stellar career was limited to just one postseason appearance with the Giants in the NLCS in ’71.

North Dakota

Only 17 players have made it to the majors from the Peace Garden State (…the what???). There is one playing today – Matt Strahm, a middle reliever for the Padres. A couple have had decent careers. Rick Helling pitched for 12 seasons, and won 20 games in 1998 (leading the league). Travis Hafner played 12 years mostly with the Indians. He led the league in OPS in ’06 with a 1.097 OPS, to go along with 42 HR’s and 117 RBI.

But, there’s only one player from North Dakota that has ever appeared in an All-Star game…

Darin Erstad – one of the most important pieces of the 2002 World Series champion Angels, Erstad won one of his 3 Gold Gloves in center field that year. He was a 2-time All-Star, and led the league in hits in 2000, with 240! That’s a total only achieved by 11 other players in the history of the game.

Nebraska

You might not find it surprising to learn that Nebraska has only produced 113 major league players. But, what you might find shocking is just how many of them are in the Hall of Fame – six players from the Cornhusker State have plaques in Cooperstown. Now, that might not sound like a lot, but it’s the highest percentage of any state. By comparison, California has produced over 2300 major league players. If the same percentage of players from California were in the HOF as Nebraskans, they’d have 122 … instead of 24.

The best player playing today from Nebraska is Alex Gordon, of the Kansas City Royals. The Lincoln native has been in 3 All-Star Games, and was instrumental in their World Series win in 2015. The best player I’ve ever seen from Nebraska has to be Wade Boggs. The Omaha native was a 5-time batting champion, 12-time All-Star, and is a member of the exclusive 3,000-hit club.

Runner-up to the best ever, though, (and it was a tough choice) is Bob Gibson. Gibson was absolutely dominant, winning 2 Cy Youngs, an MVP, striking out over 3,000, and winning 2 World Series MVP’s. He was unquestionably the most feared pitcher of his era, and is the primary pitcher responsible for the lowering of the mound after the 1968 season, when his ERA was 1.12! But, as impressive as that is, I have to give the nod to…

Pete Alexander – this Elba native won the pitching triple crown (wins, ERA, & strikeouts) an impressive 4 times! He is 3rd all-time in career wins with 373, and the only pitchers with more spent their entire careers pitching in the dead-ball era. He used a variety of breaking pitches, multiple speeds, and drove batters crazy by forcing them to swing and make weak contact on balls barely in the strike zone. Many considered him the most accurate pitcher the game had ever seen when he retired.

Nevada

The state of Nevada has only produced 47 major leaguers, and no Hall of Famers … yet. There’s really only one name of note from years past – Barry Zito, who was a 3-time All-Star, Cy Young winner in 2002, and World Series champion in 2012. But, the intriguing names to come out of the Silver State are all currently playing in the majors.

Brandon Kintzler is an All-Star pitcher who has had a decent career. Tommy Pham appears to be a bit of a late bloomer that is playing well in Tampa Bay. And, Joey Gallo made his first of what looks to be multiple All-Star appearances this year. But, for the second time in as many posts, I’m going to have to go with a tie at the top.

Kris Bryant & Bryce Harper – Until you look at the numbers, you might not realize how similar these two are. Bryant is 3 seasons behind Harper in terms of major league experience. Which means Harper has the edge in the “counting” categories (total HR, RBI, etc.). But, they have nearly the exact same per-year HR, RBI, and hit outputs. And, believe it or not, Bryant actually has the slightly higher career SLG and OPS. It’s going to be pretty fun to watch these two friends and travel-ball teammates compete for the rest of their careers.

New Hampshire

The small New England state has only produced 54 major league players, and no active players are on that list. Even the most recent players from the Granite State didn’t have very memorable careers.

The vast majority of players with decent careers from New Hampshire are pitchers. Brian Wilson was a 3-time All-Star, and an important part of the Giants’ World Series championship in 2010, when he led the league in saves. Bob Tewksbury pitched for 13 years, and had an All-Star appearance. Stan Williams pitched for 14 years, was an All-Star in 1960, and won the World Series with the Dodgers in ’59. Mike Flanagan was an All-Star in 1978, won the Cy Young in ’79, and the World Series in ’83 – all with the Orioles. But, the pitcher that is also the best player from New Hampshire is…

Chris Carpenter – the Exeter native has the best career win pct. of any New Hampshire pitcher (.605), and more strikeouts (1697). He is one of only three New Hampshire natives to appear in as many as three All-Star games, he was a 2-time World Series champ, and won the Cy Young in 2005.

New Jersey

Considering the population of the state (11th in the US), I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise that New Jersey has produced quite a few major league players (437 – 10th most). I was a little surprised, however, by the lack of overall quality. Only 3 Hall of Famers (so far), and once you get past some of the biggest names, there really aren’t a lot of names you would recognize.

Current players include the likes of Jason Heyward, Todd Frazier, and Charlie Morton – all All-Stars, but not exactly “greats” of their generation. The same could be said for many of the names of previous generations of players from the Garden State. Some of the best players they have to offer include Andy Messersmith, Al Leiter, and Don Newcombe. Granted, Newcombe was very good, but his career was very short.

But, while the depth certainly isn’t there, when you consider the best New Jersey has to offer, there are some excellent players. Joe Medwick was a 10-time All-Star, MVP, and Triple Crown winner with the Cardinals and Dodgers. Goose Goslin was one of the best position players the Washington Senators ever had – helping them win their only World Series title in 1924. And, then, there’s the Captain. Derek Jeter, a Pequannock native, was a 5-time World Series champion, 14-time All-Star, Rookie of the Year, and World Series MVP. And, his 3,465 career hits rank him 6th all-time. But, as great as Jeter was, a boy who idolized Jeter as a kid is the best ever from New Jersey.

Mike Trout – yes, he has only played 9 seasons. But, yes, he is already better than anyone else from the state. He’s the youngest player ever to reach 200 HR and 200 stolen bases. By the end of his age 27 season (this year), he will have more hits than Yasztrzemski did at the same point in his career, more HR than Mays did, more RBI than Ruth, more stolen bases than Molitor, and more walks than Rickey Henderson. 2 MVP’s already (and a 3rd one all but guaranteed this year), the only full season Trout didn’t finish 1st or 2nd in the voting was 2017, when he only played 114 games, due to injury, and he still led the league in OBP, SLG, and OPS, finishing 4th in MVP voting. There is no room for argument when it comes to who the greatest player is from New Jersey, because it’s clearly the greatest player of this generation.

The 2018 season began with a BLAST as Ian Happ launched the first pitch he saw from Jose Urena into the right field seats. And Marlins Park erupted … thanks to the overwhelming presence of Cubs fans in Miami. So, the first pitch of the Major League season included the first strike, first hit, first extra-base hit, first run scored, first home run, and the first (of what looks to be many) Marlins deficits.

Giancarlo Stanton hit his first HR as a Yankee – and, wouldn’t you know it, he did so with a little flair. In his first AB in the new uni, he hit the hardest opposite field home run in baseball, since 2015. Oh, and just for kicks, he also was the first Yankee to have 3 XBH and 4 RBI on Opening Day since Roger Maris.

The Orioles’ pitching dominated the Twins all day long. And, with a 2-0 lead going into the 9th, the Orioles sent in their closer. But, a lack of control by Brad Brach, led to some very patient at-bats by the Twins hitters. And, after giving up 2 walks and 2 hits, the game was all tied up. But, two innings later, it was Adam Jones who stepped to the plate in the bottom of the 11th. And, on the first pitch he saw from Fernando Rodney … swing, drive, home run, game over. 3-2 Orioles.

The Red Sox looked like they were going to cruise to an easy victory over the Rays, as they were up 4-0 heading into the bottom of the 8th. But, the Rays scored six runs in the inning. It culminated in an impressive at-bat by the veteran, Denard Span. With the bases loaded, a full count, and two outs in the inning, Span turned on a pitch, and drove a triple into right field, giving the Rays a 5-4 lead. They would go on to win 6-4.

The A’s came from behind twice to tie up the Angels. Once, when they were trailing by 4 in the 5th inning, and again in the 7th when they were down a run. Then, it was a wild 11th inning. With one out, Boog Powell hit a drive that just barely went off the top of left-fielder Justin Upton’s glove. Powell hustled out a triple, on a close play at 3rd. Then, Scioscia decided to walk the next batter, and go with a 5-man infield, with a slider-pitcher on the mound – hoping the batter would roll over a pitch and into a double play. Marcus Semien didn’t oblige – hitting a line drive into center-field (where no one was located) for a walk-off single.

The Phillies were up by five going into the bottom of the 6th. But, after 2 runs by the Braves in the 6th, and 3 runs in the bottom of the 8th, it was a whole new ballgame. Then, in the bottom of the 9th, with 2 outs, and a runner on 2nd, the Phillies decided to intentionally walk Freddie Freeman. So, what does Nick Markakis do? He drives a 3-run walk-off HR into right-center.

Extra innings, walk-off home runs, 21 runs scored in a single game . . . this is why Opening Day is one of the best days of the year.

I remember reading something (or maybe hearing some analyst) last winter talking about Mike Trout. Of course there was a great deal of praise to be given, considering he has yet to finish lower than 2nd in MVP voting in any full season of his career. But, then something was said that I thought was absolutely insane – should the Angels trade him? My initial reaction was, “You don’t trade arguably the best player of this generation while he’s in his prime!” It was an absurd suggestion. Unheard of. Unthinkable. But, then . . .

The same Angels team that finished just 1 game out of the playoffs last season, has turned in one of the more disappointing first halves this year. At the time of my writing, they are 14 games below .500 (36-50), 16.5 games behind division-leading Texas, and 11 games behind in the Wild Card standings. They possess the 3rd worst record in the American League – in spite of having the 6th highest Opening Day payroll in all of baseball. If this could all be explained away by injuries to key players, then there would be no need for this article. You would expect a bounce-back year in 2017, if not sooner. But, that simply isn’t the case. Yes, they’ve had a reasonably high number of pitchers with injuries. But, it isn’t like they were lighting it up before going on the DL.

So, the injury bug isn’t to blame for this team’s lackluster performance. They simply don’t have much talent surrounding Trout. The greatest evidence to that point is the fact that Trout is the only All-Star representing the Angels on Tuesday. How does that happen? You have one of the best players in the game (at 24 years old). You’re operating in the 2nd largest TV market in the country (giving you a significant revenue advantage over most of the teams in the game). And, yet you have only been able to put it all together once in this player’s 5-year career – a brief playoff appearance in 2014, when you were swept in the ALDS. I feel bad for Mike Trout. I feel bad for a guy who goes out there and plays as hard as he does, and who performs at such an incredibly high level – and has nothing but individual awards to show for it.

And, do you know what makes it even worse? It isn’t getting better any time soon. The Angels have the consensus WORST farm system in baseball. If you look at any ranking of current minor league systems, you’ll see the Angels at the bottom every time. I read one analyst who said that not only were the Angels the worst farm system right now, but they might be the worst system in baseball history. The absolute best prospect they have right now is a catcher currently playing in A-ball, who isn’t even ranked in the top 100 prospects in all of baseball. One analyst went so far as to say that he didn’t think the Angels’ best prospect would even crack the top 10 of any other team! So, not only is there little-to-no help coming up from the minors any time soon, but they have no trade chips to offer teams willing to trade high-quality players.

So, maybe the Angels could just spend more money to get better, right? Not this offseason. Strasburg signed a new contract with the Nationals, so the one legit ace that was going to be on the market is no longer available. And, if you’re looking for significant offensive help, there’s only one real option this year: Yoenis Cespedes (assuming he opts out of his Mets contract). And, considering how thin the free agent market is, someone is going to significantly overpay for his services. Not that the Angels are unfamiliar with doing that very thing (Pujols, Wilson, Hamilton, etc.), but one bat is not turning this team around. And, once you get past Cespedes, this free agent class really looks more like a list of quality pieces that will help a team on the cusp of the playoffs. And, the Angels need a lot more impact than that.

What’s the answer? What should they do? In case you didn’t see it coming:

The Angels should trade Mike Trout.

The longer they hold on to him, the longer it is going to take for this team to become relevant again. Trout is the kind of franchise player that would help the Angels restock their farm system. His talent level is so high, that I wouldn’t be shocked to see a team willing to offer 4-6 A-list prospects, and perhaps a couple B-listers, too. That kind of return on a trade could potentially make the Angels competitive as early as 2018. Because they’re already going to have a top-5 pick in the 2017 draft, which would likely add to their haul for Trout.

The tricky part of a trade like this is deciding who has the talent in their farm system to offer what the Angels need, and who would be willing to take on Trout’s salary (which isn’t going down anytime soon – $20 mil. in 2017, and $34 mil. in ’18-’20). Considering how much the Angels should be looking for ways to win sooner rather than later, I would think they should be willing to pay a portion of Trout’s salary, if the right prospects are coming back in return. After all, when have the Angels shied away from spending money?

So, after looking through several farm systems, considering what the team has on its payroll in the next few years, I believe there’s one team that stands out as a potential trade partner:

The Atlanta Braves.

Think about that for a minute. The Braves are opening a new stadium next season. Isn’t a trade like this something that can get fans excited again? Especially a trade for a guy that would immediately become the face of your franchise for the next 4 years (at least). The Braves also have one of the deepest farm systems in the game right now. They are consistently ranked in the top 2-3. And, it’s a system that is absolutely loaded with pitching talent – something for which the Angels have a desperate need (starting rotation with an ERA well over 4.00, closer with an ERA approaching 5.00, etc.).

The Braves are in the #9 television market in the U.S. – right behind Boston, and just ahead of Houston. What this means is that they don’t have to be stingy with their payroll. They may not want to climb into the $175 million echelon (where the Angels actually are), but a payroll in the $140-150 million range sits comfortably in the middle of the league, right around where other competitive teams sit (Royals, Blue Jays, Orioles, etc.). And, to offset some of the cost, initially, the Braves could send Nick Markakis to the Angels, which eliminates $11 million over each of the next two seasons. If the Angels are willing to cover some of Trout’s salary, in exchange for the right prospects, even better.

A move like this, for the Braves, would give a much needed spark to a fan base that has grown weary of seeing their favorite stars traded away. It’s also reasonable for a team like Atlanta to take on a contract the size of Trout’s, because the vast majority of their core players are young, and will be making league minimums for the next 3-5 years. Not to mention the young players that are coming up to the majors in the next year or so – like Dansby Swanson, Rio Ruiz, etc. Just think of it, Braves fans . . . an outfield of Ender Inciarte, Mallex Smith, and Mike Trout. That could be one of the best defensive outfields in the game.

Of course, the Angels wouldn’t let go of Trout for nothing. On the Braves’ side, I would say the only player in their system that should be “untouchable” is Swanson. He’s a top-of-the-order talent that you just don’t trade away (ahem – are you listening, Arizona?). Outside of that, though, the Braves should be willing to offer almost anything the Angels want. They have another top-tier shortstop (Albies) in the system that could be blocked by Swanson, unless he switches to 2B. They have a 3B prospect (Riley) that has great potential, but will take a year or two longer to develop than the previously mentioned Ruiz. Either or both of these guys could be on the table. Depending on what position players the Angels might expect in return, seven of the Braves’ top 10 prospects are pitchers. I would see no problem in sending a couple of those on in a trade for Trout. Especially since the Braves just drafted a top-tier prospect with the #2 pick in this year’s draft, and look to be set up with a top-5 pick in next year’s draft as well.

So, why not send Nick Markakis, Austin Riley (3B), Kolby Allard (LHP), Tyrell Jenkins (RHP), and Braxton Davidson (OF)? The Braves farm system is one of just a handful that could absorb a blow like that. And, it would make the Braves relevant their first year in their new stadium. Particularly if they went after a quality free agent piece like a Neil Walker, for example. Consider a lineup with Swanson, Trout, Freeman, Walker, Inciarte, and Smith. Plus, the Angels would immediately begin building toward the 2018 season, instead of languishing through another 3-4 years (or more) before they finally start seeing results from having high draft picks.

It’s time. It simply is time for the Angels to pull the trigger, and do what’s right. Not only what’s right for Mike Trout (who deserves better than what he has around him in LA), but also what’s right for the fans who have little desire to watch Mike Trout and a bunch of also-rans lose for the next 4 years.

Every team in baseball has played more than 40 games, at this point. And, you know what that means . . . we’re half way to the All-Star break! So, I thought it was about time to discuss who is looking like an All-Star this year. Emphasis on this year. Unlike some voters, I don’t really care what a guy did last season, and whether or not he was “snubbed” from the Mid-Summer Classic a year ago. How are you performing right now? Are you putting up All-Star numbers? If not . . . better luck next year. Well, that, or you have about another month or so to get your act together if you want my vote(s).

Since it’s still early in the season, we won’t spend a ton of time discussing each position. But, I do think it’s worth taking a look to see who is actually performing like an All-Star. Because, there may very well be some surprises. Keep in mind, the stats listed are all prior to last night’s games.

Catcher

AL – This is always one of the more difficult positions for me. Trying to find the appropriate balance between offensive production, and defensive prowess is debated more behind the plate than anywhere else on the diamond. At this point, though, in the American League, the decision is fairly easy: Matt Wieters (BAL) – .283/.330/.455, 4 HR, 16 RBI. There’s only one catcher in the AL with more than 100 PA’s that is legitimately out-performing Wieters offensively (McCann), and Wieters is lightyears ahead defensively. On the flip side of that coin, there’s really only one catcher in the AL that is significantly better than Wieters behind the plate (Perez), and Wieters is head and shoulders ahead of him offensively, at this point. So, for now, I believe Weiters is the best balanced candidate in the AL.

NL – The catcher position in the National League is perhaps a little easier to decide: Wilson Ramos (WSH). Ramos is far and away the best offensive catcher in baseball, at this point. His .347/.389/.525 slash line is especially impressive at a position that doesn’t really emphasize offense as much. And, Ramos is middle of the pack defensively. Depending on the metrics, there are about half a dozen catchers in the NL performing better than Ramos behind the plate. But, only 2 of those are even having slightly above-average seasons offensively (Posey & Castillo). For now, Ramos’ offense is so much better, that I think he deserves the vote. But, if Posey heats up offensively, or if Molina or Lucroy make strides on defense to surpass Ramos, there could be a lot of fluctuation here.

First Base

AL – The choice here is easy: Miguel Cabrera (DET). Now, while I said it was an easy choice – that doesn’t mean it isn’t close. Hosmer is just a notch behind Cabrera in pretty much every offensive category. And, Cabrera even has him beat defensively at the moment. Cabrera is quietly having another impressive season – .315/.388/.537, 9 HR, 26 RBI.

NL – Another choice that was pretty easy, but still very close: Anthony Rizzo (CHC) – .240/.379/.526, 11 HR, 34 RBI. The bizarre thing about Rizzo’s stat line is that his OBP, and ultimately his OPS (which leads all NL first basemen), are both very high, in spite of the fact that his batting average is as low as it is. But, that just further proves how obsolete of a stat batting average is becoming. Rizzo is also one of the top fielding first basemen in the league.

Second Base

AL – Wow. There are some second basemen in both leagues that are having really impressive seasons, but likely won’t get close to starting in the All-Star game. Mainly because there are two guys having unbelievable seasons. In the AL, it’s Jose Altuve (HOU) – .328/.413/.582, 9 HR, 27 RBI, 15 SB. If he keeps this up, he could be in the MVP discussion. Well, if Houston doesn’t continue to tank, that is.

NL – Potential MVP candidate in the NL: Daniel Murphy (WSH) – .387/.420/.607, 6 HR, 28 RBI. He’s playing so well, I don’t think there’s more than one second basemen in the NL that has a shot at catching him before the break.

Shortstop

AL – What a loaded position this is in the American League! And, loaded with youth, which means we get to enjoy this for several years to come. Right now, my vote goes to: Xander Bogaerts (BOS) – .346/.397/.495, 4 HR, 25 RBI, 6 SB. Bogaerts is also an excellent fielding shortstop. His overall numbers are leading, but not necessarily overshadowing, others at this position. So, there could be a decent amount of fluctuation between now and July.

NL – While this is another position that often places an emphasis on defense, the two best offensive shortstops in the NL are so far ahead of everyone else, I’m going to ignore the fact that they are both a little below average with the glove. Right now, my vote goes to a guy you’re going to have to write in: Aledmys Diaz (STL) – .352/.386/.599, 6 HR, 23 RBI. Taking the place of the injured Peralta, Diaz has played his way into the starting job, regardless of what happens to Peralta in my mind. And, while Story had the hot start to the season, Diaz is batting almost 70 points higher, and his OPS is 40 points higher. Plus, Story is striking out at an alarming 31.9%, while Diaz only 9.2%

Third Base

AL – Two more no-brainers here. In the American League, we’re looking at another potential MVP candidate: Manny Machado (BAL) – .308/.367/.610, 12 HR, 26 RBI. And, Machado is arguably one of the best gloves in the game – regardless of position.

NL – Nolan Arenado (COL) – .307/.383/.620, 14 HR, 34 RBI, and another excellent fielding third baseman. Arenado isn’t as far ahead of the rest of the pack as Machado is, but it’s enough to say he’s the clear choice. But, don’t be surprised if one or more of these others catch up with him.

Outfield

AL – It kinda makes me chuckle that no one is even talking about Trout, in spite of the season he’s having (.321/.411/.564, 10 HR, 31 RBI). It’s almost like we just expect that from him now. But, probably even more surprising was my third choice in the outfield: 1) Jackie Bradley, Jr. (BOS) – .342/.413/.618, 8 HR, 33 RBI; 2) Mike Trout (LAA), and . . . 3) Michael Saunders (TOR) – .322/.388/.570, 8 HR, 15 RBI. Be honest – who saw that coming? And yet, he is the clear choice, as everyone else is well behind him in overall offensive production.

One week down . . . 25 to go. With that much baseball left to play, you would think people would hold off on making too much of what has happened in just 5-7 games. But, as we often do, we get wrapped up in stories that get us excited early in the season. So, here are 3 trends I think we should “sell” (aka – don’t expect it to continue), and 3 we can “buy.”

SELL

1. The 5-1 Cincinnati Reds. Beating the Pirates 2 out of 3 is nice. But, it was at home, and neither win was dominant. And a sweep of the Phillies? Not exactly something to brag about, since the Phillies are probably the worst team in the NL. So, that 5-1 record is pretty deceptive.

2. The 5-0 Orioles. The last remaining undefeated team. Sounds pretty good, right? Well… who exactly did they beat? The Twins and Rays. Two teams likely to finish at or near the bottom of their respective divisions. And, Baltimore’s offense wasn’t exactly on fire – 4.5 runs per game. When they face some good competition, we’ll have a better idea who Baltimore is.

3. Trevor Story (COL). It’s a nice story (yeah, I said it), the way he has started the season. But, let’s be real, folks. Every game he has played thus far has been against a lot of mediocre pitching in the thin air of Coors Field. The guy had an .817 OPS in the minors. Don’t get me wrong – that’s not bad. But, this isn’t the next Tulowitzki. He’s going to come back down to earth, and I hope you weren’t foolish enough to trade for him in your fantasy league.

BUY

1. The 4-1 Royals. So many “experts” were picking the Tigers or Indians or maybe even the White Sox to win this division. Here’s my question: what has changed? The Royals still have the best defense in baseball. They still have one of the top 2 or 3 bullpens. They still have an offense that puts the ball in play and pressures your defense and pitching. And, they still have starting pitchers that – while they may not be All-Stars – will pitch a lot of innings with a bend-don’t-break approach. It should surprise none of us if KC reaches a 3rd consecutive World Series.

2. The Chicago Cubs offense. Through their first 6 games, they are averaging 7 runs per game – best in the NL. Obviously they won’t keep up that pace, especially this week in the cold air in Chicago. But, the additions of Heyward and Zobrist have helped round out an offense that got a little too homer-happy when it got to the NLCS. This now is an offense that is 2nd in the NL in OBP, leads the league in walks, and has some pop as well (6th in HR).

3. The mediocrity that is the AL West. I was shocked to see a lot of folks picking one or more Wild Card teams to come out of the AL West before the season started. But, if you look at the division today, you’ll see what I expect we’ll see at season’s end. There’s only one team with a winning record right now – the 4-3 A’s. I’m not saying Oakland will win the division. Just that 84-86 wins is probably all you’ll need here. Every team has major holes that will be exploited by the better teams in the AL. Whether it’s offense (OAK – 3.28 runs/gm against so-so pitching; LAA – nothing beyond Trout), pitching (HOU – worst ERA in AL; TEX – very suspect beyond Hamels & eventually Darvish), or just plain mediocrity (SEA – middle of the pack in pretty much everything), this is not an exciting division.

Continuing with our review of MLB Network’s rankings at each position going into the new season, it’s time to look at shortstops. This is another position that places a high value on defense. We have to be careful, however, just how highly we value defense. If a guy is batting .230 with no power or on-base skills, but is a premium defender, that doesn’t mean he belongs at or near the top of the list. We’re talking about the best of the best. And, players ranked this high need to have a good balance to their game. Here is the “Shredder’s” list:

My initial reaction to this list is that the Shredder is putting way too much stock in guys with less than a single full season at the major league level. Lindor, Correa and Russell are guys that I think will be stars. And, they may very well blossom this year into being among the best at their position. But, unless the position is generally a weak position (which I don’t believe SS is), I need more evidence that a player can make the adjustments necessary to be impactful long-term. Correa and Lindor played just 99 games each last year. Russell played closer to a full season (142), but it’s still just one season.

As with CF, I’ll be looking at the same offensive and defensive metrics to determine my own list – wRC+, OBP, SLG, BsR, DRS & UZR. I’m also using a category that is a bit more subjective – age. For example, I anticipate production to improve compared to a player’s age 23-24 seasons, and to decline from around the time he turns 31 or 32. This is unlikely to have a major impact on my rankings, but could be the difference maker when some players’ stats are close, and I have to make a call between 2 or 3 guys.

Let’s take a quick look at a couple guys that deserve honorable mention before looking at my top 10. Adeiny Hechavarria (MIA) is probably #11 on my list. He has very good defensive metrics, which was almost enough to propel him into the top 10. But, his baserunning skills are middle of the pack, and his offense is at or below average. Jose Iglesias (DET) is also just barely on the outside looking in – probably #12 or #13 for me. He has an excellent OBP over the last couple years (.347 – 3rd best among SS’s), but that’s really the only category he excels in. Slightly below-average offensive production, below-average baserunning, and only average defensive metrics.

You’ll notice that there’s only one new name – Escobar – which means only one name dropped off my list from the “Shredder’s”. And, that’s Semien. Semien belongs in probably the same area as Iglesias – #12-14. He doesn’t really excel in any area – average offensively, average baserunner, and slightly below-average defensively. There wasn’t really anything for me to sink my teeth into with Semien. Andrelton Simmons is possibly the most difficult guy to place. Hands down the best defensive shortstop – possibly the best defensive player in baseball – and, it’s not even close. But, offensively . . . yikes. His wRC+ is a 77 – which means his overall offensive production is about 23% lower than league average. His baserunning is also near the bottom at his position. If he played anywhere other than shortstop (where there are only 6 guys producing above-average offensively), he probably wouldn’t even make the list.

I’m also not sure I see what pushed Bogaerts so high up the Shredder’s list. His .327 OBP the last two years is 6th among SS’s, and he’s a top 5 or 6 baserunner at his position. But, his overall offensive production is below-average, and his defensive metrics are below-average. He belongs in the top 10, but I can’t justify him being any higher than 9th. Right behind Gregorius – who didn’t reach any higher than 10th on anyone’s list on MLB Network. While Gregorius’ offensive production lags behind Bogaerts, he’s middle-of-the-pack at his position, and only slightly below league average. Meanwhile Gregorius is an even better baserunner than Bogaerts, and he’s significantly better defensively.

I have no idea why Escobar didn’t appear on either the Shredder’s list or any of the analysts’ on the show. His offensive production is better than Bogaerts (a 35-point edge in OPS), his baserunning is average, and his defensive metrics are average. In fact, his UZR is very good (even better than Gregorius) – but, it seems that while he gets to a lot more balls than the average shortstop, he has some issues with throwing the ball away.

Peralta and Russell were neck and neck. Peralta is slightly above-average in offensive production, while Russell is slightly below-average. But, Russell has a significant edge in baserunning skills. And, Russell has the better UZR. What really impressed me about Russell is the fact that he has the same number of defensive runs saved as Peralta, but in 2,000 fewer innings. Throw in the added subjective nature of my age category (Russell is going into his age 22 season, while Peralta his age 34 season), and the edge, in my opinion, has to go to the up-and-coming youngster.

Lindor & Correa may very well be fighting it out for the #1 spot over the next 10 years. But, not this year. 99 games is enough to qualify you for ROY honors. But, even as good as their statistics were (Lindor has a significant edge defensively, while Correa only has a slight edge offensively – in case you were wondering why they’re ranked in the order they are), I can’t bring myself to rank them at the top “right now.” They’ve proven they are in the discussion. But, haven’t done it long enough to belong ahead of Tulo or Crawford.

Tulowitzki at the top is probably not a surprise. Brandon Crawford, however, doesn’t get near the credit he deserves. He’s a top-5 SS when it comes to offensive production, he’s an above-average baserunner, and he’s second only to Simmons defensively. He really is the whole package – and, is actually the only SS on my list to rank in the top 10 in every category. I gave brief consideration to ranking him #1, even ahead of Tulo (which Ripken actually did on the show!). But, Tulowitzki is very good defensively, and one of the best in all of baseball in offensive production.